Mannerim father and daughter duo dominate championships

Em and Jeff Avery competing

 

A father daughter duo from Mannerim Fire Brigade are a force to be reckoned with in this year’s State Championships.

 

Em Avery and her Dad Jeff have competed in many championships over the years, with Em competing in a new women’s team this year.

The pair also coach four rural teams together, a legacy team, a mixed team, a women’s team and a juniors team all made up from Mannerim, Meredith, Queenscliff, Leopold, Snake Valley and Drysdale brigades.

The legacy team, known as their A team, includes members who have parents and grandparents as current and former CFA members.

Em said she loves coaching alongside her Dad and hopes to continue the tradition for many years to come.

“Dad has been a huge help in getting these teams up and going. It’s been a great experience for me,” Em said.

“What I love about the champs is seeing everyone having fun! I love the adrenaline rush and the teamwork.

“There’s a level of seriousness but you have to enjoy it, and I do my best to make sure my brigade has fun.

“It’s also really good for skills maintenance and gearing the juniors up to become senior firefighters one day.”

Em has recently taken over the role as the juniors team coordinator as her Dad is heavily committed in his role as Captain of Mannerim Fire Brigade – a role he took on a couple years ago.

Em proudly refers to herself as a “Mannerim station baby”. She officially joined the brigade as a junior member in 2012 when she was 11 years old but her Dad has been a member for 27 years and CFA has been an important part of their family.

“I feel like I’ve been a member since I was born because of my strong family connection to the brigade and Dad took over the CFA juniors when I was 5 years old,” she said.

“I was too young to join then but I was always helping dad and running along with him and the juniors for as long as I can remember. I loved it!”

Em is looking forward to competing and watching her teams battle it out next weekend in the Rural Juniors and Seniors State Championships.

With no intention of hanging up her runners anytime soon, Em encourages brigades to get involved in the historic tradition.

“The events are everything our firefighters already know how to do, it just further boosts their skillset in a fun way. It also brings brigades together from across the state,” Em said.

“If your brigade doesn’t compete in the Championships, please look for a nearby brigade and join their team. We’re always looking for runners to join our Mannerim teams.”

“The Championships is all about teamwork in a really nice environment.”